Market Cross, Grade I listed market cross in Barnard Castle, England.
The Market Cross is an octagonal stone structure built with a Tuscan colonnade featuring arched openings on the ground floor. The upper level displays alternating Venetian windows, and the building bears Lord Barnard's crest along with a hand-painted stone inscription panel.
The building was constructed in 1747 by Thomas Breaks, a wool merchant, to provide a sheltered marketplace for local farmers' wives. Throughout the following centuries, it served multiple civic functions including courthouse, fire station, jail, dairy market, and town hall.
The square has long served as the social center where townspeople gathered to buy and sell goods, hear announcements, and conduct local business. Over time, it became a symbol of community identity and remained the focal point where residents conducted daily affairs.
The structure sits at the junction of The Bank, Newgate, and Market Place, making it easy to find when exploring the town center. Visitors can view it from all angles while walking around the square and examining the architectural details and inscribed stone panel.
The weather vane atop the roof bears two small bullet holes from a shooting competition held in 1804 between a Teesdale Legion soldier and a Streatlam Castle gamekeeper. These marks remain visible today and serve as a tangible reminder of this curious local contest from two centuries ago.
Location: Barnard Castle
GPS coordinates: 54.54220,-1.92374
Latest update: December 14, 2025 16:47
Barnard Castle
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Church of St Mary
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Barnard Castle Bridge
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The White Swan Public House And Swan Cottage
250 m
Post Office Post Office And Brampton House
320 m
Former Mill To Rear Of Number 22
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Hopper Tomb Approximately 2 Metres South Of Church Of St Mary
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Thorngate Footbridge
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The Vicarage And Glebe Cottage
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The Old Well
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21, Galgate
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24, The Bank
91 m
14 (Left Part), Market Place
39 m
41, Newgate
255 m
South Boundary Wall To Grounds Of Bowes Museum And Church Of St Mary
373 m
6, 6A And 6B, Galgate
321 m
Former Stable, Outbuildings And Walls To The Vicarage And Glebe Cottage
342 m
Milestone At Nz 0484 1631
171 m
Pant
316 m
Walls To The Vicarage And Glebe Cottage
393 m
60, Newgate
281 m
Garden Walls To East Of Numbers 64 And 66, Spring Grove Garden Walls To Spring Grove, Newgate
324 m
Blagraves
112 m
Walls Around Spring Lodge Garden
398 m
2 And 4, Market Place
16 m
31, 31A And 31B, Horse Market
247 m
31, Galgate
326 m
34, The Bank
124 mVisited this place? Tap the stars to rate it and share your experience / photos with the community! Try now! You can cancel it anytime.
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